Powerful Quake Strikes Fukushima, Causing Tsunami (News)

Tokyo, Nov. 22 (Jiji Press)—A powerful earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.4 struck Fukushima and other prefectures in eastern Japan Tuesday morning, causing tsunami in a wide area of the country's Pacific coast. It produced shaking of lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Tochigi Prefectures.

Tsunami were observed in an area ranging from Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan to Hachijōjima in the Izu island chain south of Tokyo after the quake occurred at around 5:59 am (8:59 pm Monday GMT). A tsunami of 60 centimeters was measured in the Fukushima city of Iwaki at 6:49 am, 90 centimeters in the city of Soma at 7:06 am, and 140 centimeters at Sendai Port in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture at 8:03 am.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning to the Pacific coast of Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures and a tsunami advisory to areas ranging from Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan to the Izu island chain. Local governments in Aomori, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate Prefectures, as well as coastal areas of Ibaraki and Chiba Prefectures, advised residents to evacuate.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. reported that cooling equipment for the spent fuel pool stopped at Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station's reactor 3 at 6:10 am. It was restarted at 7:47 am. Tsunami were recorded at both the Daiichi and Daini stations after half past six. Other nuclear power stations in the area, not currently in operation, were reported as unaffected.